One-on-one with Rev. Kwadwo Addai Kyenkyenhene, former Asante Kotoko and Black Stars legend.

[@EkOfori]

Heer!, you made me remember the late Mr. Lawson, he was the first man to introduce keep fit Ghana and when you join his keep fit, you can't stop, I joined his training when I was a school boy and now I am in my sixties and still doing, all what Reverend is saying is 100% true those of us who were staying around the kumasi sports stadium then will atest to what Reverend is saying, from my house to his house then is just three houses apart, for me I knew him very well during his playing time

[@adjeiasiedu7837]

Refreshing watching & listening to one of the best legendary footballers Ghana has ever produced.

[@kwabenaagyei4327]

He is from my hometown called Duasi, in Manhyia North District in Kumasi

[@paulusoduro8415]

He was one of my favorites and made me love Kotoko in my formative years in the 80s.

[@kofiampomah105]

He used to visit his Auntie Maame Abena Kwabena at Dichemso, Kumasi. In fact, his niece is also here in Atlanta, Georgia. Akwasi Addae Kyenkyehene was an intelligent stalwart defender, no rough tackles and his timings were impeccable! Anytime the Kotoko bus was entering the Baba Yara's Stadium in the 80s, he's always singing and dancing. One of the BEST center back in the history of Ghana football

[@samuelnyanteh6608]

This is one of your best interviews

[@georgeboateng1574]

Dan Kwahu Yeboah u have really than well This Man is really a legend I am really in tears listening to ur interview with our legend

[@gabiasante2538]

Kyenkye I admire you. You are an inspiration to the youth of Ghana. May GOD give you long life to do HIS work.

[@voiceofreason9307]

Wooooow not heard of him in so long..what a player... Amazing

[@oseialexander2631]

From (U.K) He's football is more aggressive than his talking, Such a great talent❤❤❤❤

[@kwabenaosei1975]

That's one of the most talented soccer defenders of Ghana. I know him personally.

[@ellisaryee8912]

Great defender just like Van dijk

[@elvisacheampong7395]

He used to be stay back at his sister's place after black stars training in El wak. His sister was married to a soldier called WO Badu

[@carlbandoh8853]

One of the best versatile players ever to grace Ghana football. Well done DKY

[@patrickaryee7437]

I would have been very excited if you had included one or two TV clips of him on the field of play... Please add such, for nostalgia, in your next interview of any of our great stars... Let's re-live those beautiful moments!

[@nanayawsarpong4302]

He is a legend. The legendary football commentaror used to describe him as 'Tall and Lanky'. He was a joy to watch.

[@officialnanayawasare]

Nice interview kwaku well done God bless you and kyenkyenhene

[@franksomuah9167]

As a Hearts of Oak supporter, I never liked this man, but I don't know if Ghana has ever had a better defensive midfielder than Addai kyenkyenhene

[@niibarnor546]

He wasn’t a defender.

[@kwamesarpong351]

⚽️⚽️❤️🔥🔥🔥

[@patrickaryee7437]

Thumbs up for combing them out... How is Yaw Sam, Malik Jabbir, Dan Opong and others? Please tell us how they are doing. Also Peter Lamptey n many others!!!

[@huistiepersol2430]

DKY, Kwadwo Addae Kyenkyenhene, the longest name in Ghana soccer, he was one of the lanky and most elegant players with the ball, a delight to watch, and the only player that gave the Stylish Midfield Dynamo Adolf Armah competition for the Number Six jersey,,, he later moved down to central defender, and he was a great libero

[@ellisaryee8912]

God bless Dan Kwaku Yeboah foundation 🙏🏿

[@CharlesOheneKonadu-hc8ik]

😂😂I remember those days very well he was a great player,we were all coached by AO Lawson when i was a student at TI Amass Kumasi,a gentleman with the fear of God,bless you capito.These guys were reallly good.

[@kofiampomah105]

The LATE Offei Ansah, is what Akwasi Addae Kyenkyehene was trying to recall his name

[@benjillobulletschannel-bbc9374]

No, Hesse Odampten

[@JosephOhemeng-pe3nc]

Can't wait to watch your interview with Adolf Armah.The midfielde dynamo, such a gem

[@AsanteErnest-y8e]

Rev. You are welcome. Well remembered during our finals with El Ahly when you mistakenly gave a pass to their striker after receiving a pass from goalkeeper Carr in the 18 yard box. Luckily enough, his strike went miles over the bar. The longest name in Ghana football then. I salute you.

[@jomat8388]

We must invite all these legends to blackstars Camp to give the players some motivational speech .

[@georgelyall4894]

One great player, wow ! his passing range, his only nemesis was Adolph Armah , very humble and skilful

[@robertboateng6203]

The man with the longest name in Ghana football.

[@paulusoduro8415]

But I think Nana Kwaku Attakora Amaniampong finally broke the records

[@robertboateng6203]

@@paulusoduro8415 Oh i see. Which team did he play for?

[@eugenemfum-mensah8254]

It was a freekick and was taken by Offei Ansah and scored by Hesse Odamtten.

[@wilsonattitoe3997]

He look so differently but fresh & healthy. There are a few innacuracies and DKY should have straightened things up but it appears he was encouraging them. First of all when Opoku Afriyie was sacked from Kotoko, he went to Cote D'ivoire and stayed there for a year. If Opoku Afriyie had intended originally to play for Hearts, he would have registered for Hearts for the 1983 football season. Just immediately after Al Haly peeped Kotoko to winning the African cup, a scape goat must be found and the domineering attitude of Opoku Afriyie and rumoured comsultation for ways and means was conflicting with that of management and that was a bother to Mr Yaw Bawuah. Why was Opoku Afriyie nick-named "Bayie" in the early 80s immediately he assumed the captainship? In the late 70s, his nick name was "Businessman". In actual fact for the final of 1982, the ways and means instructed that there should be no curtain-raiser on the pitch but few minutes before kick-off, a helicopter dropped chairman Rawlings on the pitch to him he was only replicating what he did during the miracle of Accra of 1979 but Kotoko saw it that Papa J's activities disrupted their ways and means so in 1983, Mrs Aana Ennin turned up. Now its also not accurate that when Opoku Afriyie came to Hearts he was so marked such that he couldnt score. Although, he scored a couple of goals for Accra Hearts of Oak, he was often operating from the right flank as support striker and Sam Yeboah was leading the attack and indeed in his first outing for Hearts agsinst Kotoko although he didnt score, Hearts won that match in Kumasi in dieing minutes and Kotoko also winning the return match by a lone goal in Accra under an English coach Ron Heckman who fielded 7 defenders with Ernest Appau playing on the right of midfield although a defender. Opoku Afriyie by the time he joined Hearts was at the twilight of his career so he couldnt continue to be a lead striker as he was at Kotoko right from 1975. Also in the match that Hearts beat Kotoko by 4:3 in Kumasi, DKY mentioned Polo, Anas Seidu and John Yawson. Thats also not correct. The 3 players weren't with Hearts in 1983. Its very unfortunate that when the issue of Adolf Armah came up, he and DKY were disingenous. In preparation for the 1978 African cup, Hearts were participating in Africa in 1977 so Hearts players were already starters in the Blackstars namely Ofei Ansah, Adolf Armah, Anas Seidu, Robert Hammond and Mohammed Polo we giving some reprieve to concentrate more on the Africa competition so during that time Addae Kyenkyrnhene gained grounds in the Blackstars and of course his telepathy with Razak, Opoku Afriyie and Agyemang Prempeh was appealing to the coaches. That not withstanding, during the African cup of nations, I remember Adolf started the first match and remember watching the 2nd match against Nigeria and that match it was Adolf Armah, Awuley Quaye, Isaac Acquaye, Fuseini in goal and last minute Willie Klutse who stood out. Polo, Razak and Opoku Afriyie were kept quiet in that match. It must be noted Zambia and Nigeria were tough custormers in group A with the two team playing to a goaless draw so if Ghana had a tough time scoring them it wasnt because of Adolf Armah as Addae Kyenkyenhene tried to potray. Against Tunisia, the Tunisians were quite formidable and slippery and Abdul Razak attested to that fact and they were Africa's sole representative for the 1978 world cup in Argentina and so the technical team decided to play it more cautious hence the starting of Kyenkyenhene ahead of Adolf Armah. Ghana won by a lone goal and i dont think he was the one who provided the assist but it was held that Mohammed Polo was the one who provided the assist. Of you dont change a winning team and so going into the final match against Uganda who had the manacing Philip Omondi in attack it was just prudent to start a defensive oriented midfieder than an attacking oriented one hence Kyenkyenhene was chosen for the final. So it was more a tactical choice than who is better than who. Even as Adolf Armah didnt play all the 5 matches he was in the reckoning for the African footballer of the year 1978 and by the following year he placed 2nd to Thomas Nkono of Cameroon. Immediately after the end of the African cup, Adolf Armah was restored as the first choice number 6 player and with Kotoko being kicked out by Kadiogo in early 1979 and Razak joining New York Cosmos, the search for a piercing midfielder began that was when Papa Arko emerged So his assertion that it was juju that caused his absence from the Blackstars from 1980 - 1982 is also dubious because he had lost the number 6 position to Papa Ako convincingly at Kotoko, such that from 1980 to 1983 Papa Ako had made the number 6 position his sole preserve and had built some sound telepathy with in midfield with Kofi Badu, Albert Asaase, Joe Tex, Opoku Nti and Yahaya Kassum. For the Blackstars, around 1980 - 1982, there were so many number 6 to choose from namely captain Adolf Armah, Papa Ako, Dan Forster, Sly Tetteh etc so how can a non starter at club level be selected over these starters at club level? With this background why should a whole Reverend minister with connivance of DKY try in this subtle manner to tarnish the hard earned image of the midfield dynamo Adolf Armah in such manner so brazingly? So far as I know the first player Harry Thompson described as the maestro was Adolf Armah before he left this country only to return to the Blackstars to get injured. Somehow in 1983, we started seeing Addae Kyenkyenhene resurfacing but for the first time in central defence but even that one was alternating with Ahmed Rockson but with experience he was quite decent as a centre back and indeed by 1984 had caught the attention of the selectors of the Blackstars where he partnered Sampson Lamptey in defence when captain Isaac Paha retired and by 1985 he was it was either Opoku Afriyie or Addae Kyenkyenhene who were captaining the Blackstars which i am sure he himself had forgotten that he took a long break from the Bkackstars before returning in 1984 and exiting i think 1985. I personally witnessed a match between Ghana and Libya at the Accra sports stadium a qualifying match for the 1986 world cup and Kyenkyenhene played as a centre back while Abedi Ayew played at the number 6 position. It must be noted that the goal Opoku Nti scored against Al Ahaly in 1983, as he pointed correctly the cross came from John Bannerman but the attack was build from the back by Ernest Appau who then left it for defensive midfielder to drilled that long piercing pass in the path of John Bennerman.

[@johnfrimpong-mensah9626]

You were an ardent follower of the game and have accurate memories, I am sure you miss the game just as many of us do. However a few points. 1. your assertion about the reasons why Opoku Afriyie left Kotoko may not be accurate. You stated what most fans knew from newspaper reports. Addae Kyenkyenhene's version sounds like the actual facts since he was with the team and Opoku Afriyie himself. You are right, he went to the Ivory Coast because he was sacked, I think after the closure of the registration. 2. During the nations Cup, Adolf was the more established No 6. He was known all over the continent but the maestro had it though against, I think Zambia in the opening game and either got injured or had a knock and was replaced by Kyenkyenhene who then kept the position until the finals. I remember clearly the debate as to who was the best nr 6 between Kyenkyenhene and Adolf.

[@wilsonattitoe3997]

Ok well stated. I haven't disputed the Reverend assertion why Opoku Afriyie was sacked. In fact his assertion is very true because I had a sports magazine which had the picture of Mr Yaw Bawuah and the caption said "Discipline must be maintained at all cost". The point is the Reverend's version was also in the news and it was said that Opoku Afriyie was very difficult to control but the Reverend said and left out the ways and means aspect. I can assure you if it were a former Hearts player, DKY would have drawn his assertion to the ways and means version as well. Secondly, I watched the Ghana Zambia match on TV and except for the beginning where Adolf Armah got stylish with so back flick which the Zambian's intercepted, he had a fairly decent game and that loss of the ball wasn't what resulted in the goal the Zambian's scored. Secondly, I watched the Ghana Nigeria match and Adolf Armah was very prominent in that match so it cannot be accurate that Addae Kyenkyenhene took over right from the Zambia match. Adolf Armah played the whole 90 minutes against Nigeria.

[@wilsonattitoe3997]

​​@@johnfrimpong-mensah9626 Team of the tournament Mo Al Hazaz Mokthar Dhouieb Kuku Dadzie Khaled Gasmi Larbi Ihardane Moses Nsereko Abdul Razak Adolf Armah Mohammed Polo Philip Omondi Segun Odegbami Mathematical

[@enochampofo6595]

You are such an Adolf Armah officiniado. Not bad. I know the name Adolf Armah growing up, but I never knew he was that good. Today through these expose' I've learnt so much and also remembered some of the names at different era. But I don't ever think Mr. Kyenkyenhene was ever trying to be mischievous with some narrations. I think he mentioned some issues the way he remembered them. It is obvious he MISREMEMBERED some things. I could guess some of his dates about his own football events may vary with official statistics. But you can't blame him for he may not have such memories as yours, plus he seemed to have isolated himself from the game and the interview answers were obviously off-the-cuff. Sometimes too I see different versions of things, and whose to take as sacrosanct is a challenge unless there's official source for them, which isn't immediately available to us now. So for us, we read all to have generic and/or panoramic view of things. I'll end by saying that I didn't get the sense the interviewee tried to make himself more important or better than other players, but sometimes in football players get displaced by others for various reasons. It's a fact. Sometimes players are sidelined not because they're bad or lost form. Sometimes too players in the doldrums for one reason or the other resurfaces, etc. All these happen in football. My dad took me as a kid to my first stadium attendance in kumasi. It was kotoko and wise. First time I saw players playing on the pitch - Opoku Nti, Kofi Badu, papa arko, etc. But for all these long while, it is Kyenkyenhene whom I still remember as the one whose performance got me hooked as a kid, and I still see that vividly in my mind's eyes. "Kyenkye," they affectionately called him. He stood out in defence. He was elegant on the ball, he was cool and collected. He moved ball from defence into midfield easily (now I understand why, because he was a midfielder before so ball at feet was not new to him). I can compare Rio Ferdinand, ex-Man United defender to him; similar height and lanky stature, moved from midfield into defence, became elegant on the ball with confidence of moving ball from defence to the middle and loading up. Back to the original storyline, I must also say, I remember he was always smiling, and I can't forget this indescribable way he got a ball from an Eleven Wise player. If Armah was more stylistic and elegant, I would have loved to see him play. I only knew the name because my dad would be glued to his radio set listening to commentary on Kotoko v Hearts. This was when Ghana had all its top stars playing locally and them league was EVERYTHING... Cheers to Kyenkye and all the players then. I hope we can bring all them together for a grand Do for them. Let's do this thing! (Sent unedited)

[@adantephil8833]

Adolf Armah was stylish and a good passer of the ball. He made football look like an art. The report in Ghana news during the 1978 finals was that he got injured during or after the 2nd match against Nigeria which the Black Stars won 2-1. Kyenkyenhene then assumed duty at the number 6 position in our 3rd match against Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) and maintained it throughout. Ghana won that match 3-0 and that was Polo's first match during the tournament. Polo himself wasn't even in the dream of the Black Stars handlers for the tournament. Reason? He was injured and not match fit during those days. Who was in the plans to take his position? Agyemang Prempeh. But about two weeks to the start of the games, Prempeh's leg was broken at the Elwak Stadium during a match between SS-74 and Asante Kotoko. It was a bad injury caused by the soldier boys Ghana was in disarray. With Polo seemingly sidelined and his supposed replacement Prempeh injured Nigerian sportswriters were having a field day that Ghana has no team. Why? Because Ghana were making noise that they wanted to be the first country to win the Nations Cup three times to keep the trophy/cup for good; just as Brazil had done at the World Cup. The Black Stars doctors worked hard to get Polo fit. It was decided that Polo would gradually be integrated into the team as the tournament progresses. That is why Polo didn't play the first and second matches against Zambia and Nigeria respectively. Our 3rd match against Burkina Faso was Polo's first match. Remember that Burkina was a minnow during those days. In our semi-final, Polo was back to fitness, only God knows how he played through the pain.. I believe he might have received multiple doses of you-know-it to get him to fitness.

[@ikeaub]

When you watch todays game and compare them to the legends of yester years, you wonder what at all you're watching.

[@osunort1348]

The longest name in Ghana soccer ❤❤❤

[@jomat8388]

Our GFA president must listening to this.

[@crumuskrumus7142]

I remember his first game for Kotoko and the commentator saying he had the longest name for a footballer in Ghana!

[@oseialexander2631]

Nice man❤❤❤

[@benjaminansah9864]

YES YOUR PASS TO OPOKU AFRIYIE IN THE AFCON FINALS AGAINST UGANDA EARNED BLACK STARS THE FIRST GOAL

[@kkb1645]

Razak got the nickname 'Golden Boy' from the same guy that sort of gave him his name 'Razak'. He was from Egypt and did play for Ismail. He was the first 'Golden Boy'. Razak's real name is Abdul Karim

[@looksfine8027]

@kkb, thank you very much for this information. I remember very well that Abdul Razak got the name Razak from the Egyptian Razak. You’re 100% correct, Sir. I’ve been waiting for this information over the years.

[@sourcestvghuk9897]

Dan K Yeboah knows every kotoko player wow 😂😂😂😂

[@winfredfrempong1811]

Thus anybody recollect which game he got the name Kum kyenkyenhene with a thunder bolt strike which injured an opponent player

[@georgewhyte9819]

Asawase forever.

[@georgewhyte9819]

1978 at Accra sports stadium under Simms administration

[@kkb1645]

The slim goalkeeper in the photos is Jerry Adjei

[@huistiepersol2430]

The New name in Ghana Soccer Kwadwo Added Kyenkyenhene, that was the Daily Graphic caption after the Accra Stadium match

[@benjaminansah9864]

THE 82 SQUAD OF KOTOKO HAD HARUNA YUSIF AND KARIM ZITO AS FULL BACKS

[@eugenemfum-mensah8254]

Ah! I thought the colts heights were 5feet and 5.4feets.

[@jomat8388]

Hello Dan, how can I support your foundation?

[@DanKwakuYeboahTV]

Thanks for asking . You can send your donation (momo)to this number 024 380 3502. The name on it is Stephen Ofori. God bless you richly

[@joicekwarteng7497]

Kyenkyehene storm Accra again that's the beginning of the story.

[@kofiampomah105]

I think Akwasi Addae Kyenkyehene's career with Kotoko ended in 1987, when they SPANK Hearts of Oak (Musical Youth), by THREE goals to ONE

[@richardk.dephraim8914]

Kotoko did not beat Hearts by 3-1 in 1987. They met thrice in 1987. The scores were 2-0, 1-0, 2-0 all in favour of Kotoko

[@lieutenantcolonel8576]

Very true.

[@johnnuamah6494]

​@richardk.dephraim8914 You're right, l watched all the three matches.

[@kkb1645]

Kyenkyenhene has forgotten a few things. Which is understandable,

[@kwadwoboateng9191]

Kwadwo Addae kyenkehene storm Accra again.

[@nanakwabena61]

Kwakuuuuu😊

[@lieutenantcolonel8576]

Kweku, ask him why hearts of oak fans called him "kyenkyenhene kyenkyema". I was at the Accra sports stadium when hearts beat them 1-0. He was a total flop on that day

[@johnnuamah6494]

That's NOT true!

[@lieutenantcolonel8576]

@@johnnuamah6494 look at this little brain. How old are you? I'm 59 and telling you something of fact. You say I'm lying

[@benjaminabakah386]

Abdul Razak scored the only goal against Algeria

[@chancesmendo1448]

DOES NOT SEEM TO RECOLLECT MOST OF THE EVENTS.

[@tonylionson7518]

You are a good observer , He does not remember a lot of things. I like his sincerity about players from different teams.

[@eugenea7886]

It's not easy to recall so many events. Especially for an athlete who sees so many different people and travels to all these places. He did well

[@adantephil8833]

@@eugenea7886 coupled to the fact that as a central defender, heading those tough leather balls during his time were detrimental to the brain.

[@eugenea7886]

@adantephil8833 very true. It takes a toll

[@johnnuamah6494]

Bear with him a bit. All that he's trying to recall is nearly 40 years ago. Not everyone can recall nearly 4 decades old events as Rev. Addai Kyenkyehene is trying to do. The time of those events is such that there's bound to be inaccuracies when one tries to recall

[@bobbyprince9638]

Seth Ampadu is in London doing so grt

[@johnnuamah6494]

Seth Ampadu was one of Ghana's best defenders.

[@rickykwofi5958]

He looks longer

[@raymondyamson6880]

ei another interview again?🙄